Clean Hands
by Videl Warrior Princess
Summary: My first KH fic, takes place in Traverse Town after game ends. What happens when Cloud has a nightmare, and Aerith's the only one to comfort him? [Clorith] [Oneshot]


Videl:Warrior Princess: Everyone knows that the best game ever is Kingdom Hearts (those who don't are just *really* crazy), and after much thought, caffeine, and many yells from my friends for either bad characterization or just being too obsessed, I have finally written my first fanfic of it.  Since I am practically the only Cloud/Aeris (or Aerith, depending on which game) fan from where I live, I chose to do it on this couple.  DOWN WITH TIFA THE SLUT!!!!  I SHALL GIVE HER A BLOODY, GORY DEATH!!!!  ::rubs hands together and laughs evilly::

Great_Super_Gohan: Videl, are you talking about killing Tifa *again*?  ::rolls eyes::

Videl:Warrior Princess: Huh?  ::snaps out of daze::  What if I am?

Great_Super_Gohan: Will you *please* get over it??  Aeris got Cloud in KH, isn't that enough??!  I mean, Tifa isn't ever *mentioned* in KH!

Videl:Warrior Princess: As well as she shouldn't be!

Prince_of_Darkness_Vegeta: ::storms in and glares at them:: What are you two bakas arguing about this time?!

Great_Super_Gohan: ::sighs:: Rather or not Videl should continue to plot Tifa's death, even though Aeris gets Cloud in KH.  
  
Prince_of_Darkness_Vegeta: Lol.  What's wrong Gohan, can't control your mate?

Great_Super_Gohan: ::glares at PODV::  I'm…doing…just…fine…back…off…

Prince_of_Darkness_Vegeta: ::cocks eyebrow:: Was that a challenge?

Videl:Warrior Princess: AHEM!  *I'm* the only one who decides who gets to fight in *my* fic!!  Now cut it out!  ::bolts of lighting flash behind her as she glares at them::

Prince_of_Darkness_Vegeta: ::blinks in shock::  What in Kami?…

Great_Super_Gohan:  Uh oh… ::smiles at her sweetly, yet nervously::  It's ok Videl…just calm down… Let's just go train a little bit, ok?

Videl:Warrior Princess: ::calms down and smiles:: Ok.  As long as you do the disclaimer.

Great_Super_Gohan: ::nods:: She doesn't own KH, and neither does PODV or myself.

Prince_of_Darkness_Vegeta: Will you two hurry up so we can train??!

Videl:Warrior Princess: Sure.  Now, don't forget to review!

Clean Hands 

"N…no…" Cloud muttered in his sleep, tossing and turning in the bed.  Images of his dealings with Hades filled his mind.  All the people he had to kill…their screams…their panicked expressions…their bright red blood spilling onto his buster sword…and onto his hands, staining them forever.  It all made him sick to his heart.  

_"I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?"_

He nodded, his sword raised high.  He glared at his prey and slashed him down with one swipe.  His opponent's body fell back and landed onto the ring with a light thud.  The boy's eyes closed, and his key left his limp grip and fell as well.  The Keyblade Master…he killed the Keyblade Master…No!  It couldn't be true!  This was a nightmare, wake up!  He saw the darkness swallow everything up, then it began to suffocate him, it filled up his lungs like water, it consumed his soul…No!  This is just a nightmare!  Wake up!  Wake up Cloud, wake up!

Cloud jumped up and sat straight up in the bed, gasping for air.  His beautiful blue eyes looked down at his hand and almost jumped out of bed, shocked.  It was red…it was stained red!  "AHH!" Cloud screamed in disbelief.  

Aerith heard him scream and just about leapt out of her chair and ran to his side.  "Cloud, are you alright?" she asked gently.  She didn't think he heard her, because he kept gaping at his hand, and she placed her hand on his shoulder.  "Cloud, what's wrong?"  Slowly, he turned his head to look at her and gasped softly; Maleficent was standing right beside him, her green eyes glaring at him.

"Come, join us…" she taunted, "Join with the Heartless, become one with the Darkness."

"No!  Stay away!" he hissed, swiping away her hand and roughly pushed the demon fairy away from him.

"Ack!" Aerith shrieked, falling on her arse hard on the floor and looked at him concerned and fearful.  "Cloud…"

He gasped for air and looked at her on the floor and blinked a couple of times.  The image of the witch melted away, and he saw her stunning emerald green eyes staring at him confused.  Once again, he glanced down at his hand and realized the scarlet stain before was a trick of the light and looked at her again.  "Aerith?" he whispered, and she nodded.

"Cloud?" she asked, getting up and walking to his side again, this time more carefully.  "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I mean no!  I…" he answered quickly.  She knelt down beside him, looking over him with a gentle, concern stare.

"What is it?" she whispered softly.  He sighed heavily and looked at her in the eye seriously and somberly.

"Aerith…I don't deserve you," he muttered, brushing a strand of her amber brown hair away from her angelic face.  She frowned slightly and leaned over closer to him and looked at him pleadingly.

"Why do you say that?" she inquired.  He gazed into her green eyes and lost himself in them.  Without making a sound, he tangled his fingers into a lock of her thick hair and gently slid them out.

"There are things…things you don't know yet about me…When our world was destroyed, we got separated, remember?" he began, looking from his tight fists and the cream-colored bed sheet to her face again to see her nod.

"Yes, I remember…Cid built a gummi ship, and we were going to leave, but you weren't there.  I kept looking for you and calling for you, but I couldn't find you.  I didn't want to leave without you, and Yuffie ended up having to pull me in the ship at the last minute," she agreed.  Cloud nodded.

"I still don't know how, but I ended up in another world…And I didn't know how to find you or where I was or anything.  All I knew was that I was lost and that I had to find you."  He stopped, unsure of how to continue.  Aerith placed her hand over his, and he looked up to see her give him a sad, small smile.

"Cloud…it's okay.  Please, go on.  You can tell me anything," she reassured him.  After taking a deep breath, he continued.

"There was a man, actually he was a god.  Anyway, this god of the Underworld promised me that he would help me find you.  He made me actually sign a contract that stated if I killed Hercules, he would teleport me to different worlds to let me look for you…What I didn't know was that the contract also said that I would agree to kill anyone else he wished in order for the deal to take action."  He closed his eyes and turned his face away from her; he couldn't bear to see her reaction to his confession.  "I couldn't think of anything except of finding you…coming back to you…holding you…That's how I was able to kill all those people…"  He paused for a second, trying to keep himself together.  "You're still so innocent and pure and clean from Hate's ugly stain.  But me…My hands are soiled!  I've killed so many innocent souls, my hands will forever be stained red from their blood!  They're so dirty; they're so dirty…They'll never be clean again…"

For a second, Aerith just sat there bewildered.  She had no idea that this happened with him.  It did make her as sick as it did him, but she knew he was truly sorry about it; he wasn't like the Heartless; he didn't enjoy it.  Gently, she took hold of one of his "soiled" hands into both of hers and placed it on her lap.  Cloud almost gave a slight gasp in shock and looked up at her; she had her eye shut tightly, and she was taking deep breaths.  "Aerith?" he asked in a breathless whisper.  Then, she slowly opened her eyes and gazed at him; he could see the tears in them as she flashed him a small, sad yet sweet smile.

"Don't worry Cloud…" she said lovingly.  "Your hands are still clean to me."


End file.
